Softball nurse’s debut to Asian Games

“Softball is a niche sport in Hong Kong with most events attended by friends, family, and enthusiasts. So, when I was participating in the Asian Games for the first time, and the stands were filled with thousands of spectators. It was incredibly exciting to win against a backdrop of resounding cheers,” recalls Sally Yuen, Registered Nurse of the Duchess of Kent Children’s Hospital in Sandy Bay, who has competed in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou with the Hong Kong women’s softball team earlier. Five days of intense competition opened her eyes and made her determined to play the sport better. “Witnessing firsthand how the world’s top-ranked opponents like Japan and Taiwan play the game was a valuable learning experience,” she recalls. “Their performances were inspiring and motivated me to strive for improvement.”

Sally took up softball at university and represented Hong Kong in the Asian University Women’s Softball Championship, where she hit her first home run. She later joined the Hong Kong team, and her first major challenge was the quadrennial Asian Games where – at the previous tournament in Jakarta – the Hong Kong women’s team made their debut but failed to register a win.

As a newcomer, Sally was nervous. “Our goal before the competition was to defeat Singapore and Thailand, but we lost to Singapore. However, we quickly regrouped and put up a strong fight against Thailand. Fortunately, our team had taken the lead with great synergy.” The Hong Kong team defeated Thailand to secure its first Asian Games victory and finished seventh overall in the tournament.

Training through the storms

The Hong Kong team had to overcome severe challenges before the tournament with its training facilities closed during the epidemic. Sally and her teammates missed no opportunity to prepare, practising with badminton shuttlecocks and exercising at home. Then, in the weeks before the Asian Games, Hong Kong was deluged with heavy rain and the softball field was flooded. “Despite the rain, we got together to train, and our morale remained high,” says Sally. “Softball is all about teamwork, and facing challenges only strengthened our mutual understanding and our spirit of never giving up.”

Sally was moved by the support and encouragement of her colleagues at work who took a keen interest despite softball being a complicated and not particularly popular sport. “Some of them even watched the live broadcast of the Asian Games and shared clips of my matches with patients. It was very encouraging to see my efforts attracting more attention to the sport,” she reflects.

There are surprising similarities between her role as a nurse and a softball player, Sally believes. As a player, she trains constantly to develop skills such as throwing, catching, and hitting until they become muscle memory. Similarly, in the ward, continuous practice of bedside care and nursing skills is needed to avoid mistakes.

“When I graduated a year ago and started work, I was quite nervous and afraid I was not skilled enough,” Sally says. “But now, through practical experience, I have gradually built confidence and discovered that I really enjoy caring for young patients. Whether it’s playing softball or clinical work, dedication and strict standards are necessary to continuously improve yourself.”

Interview video of QMH Newsletter